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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ABERDEEN – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced an Aberdeen, South Dakota man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.  The sentencing took place on December 8, 2025.

Christopher Emmanuel Walton, 35, was sentenced to serve five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Walton was indicted for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm by a federal grand jury in July 2024.  He pleaded guilty on November 3, 2025.

Walton is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior domestic violence conviction.  In June 2024, Walton’s roommate borrowed his car to go target shooting.  When he returned home, the roommate inadvertently left a pistol in the trunk.  Later that day, Walton discovered the firearm in his vehicle as he was preparing to leave for parenting time with his children.  Since he was already late, Walton put the firearm inside his backpack rather than take it back inside to his roommate.  An Edmunds County deputy pulled Walton over and found the firearm in the trunk of his vehicle.

This case was investigated by the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Jackson, MS –Joe Lewis, a resident of Hinds County, Mississippi was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison for two counts of Attempted Production of Child Pornography. After release from prison, Lewis will be on supervised release for 10 years and must register as a sex offender.

According to court documents, Joe Lewis, 55, under the pretense of mentoring middle school aged boys, would send money to his victims via Cash App and demand that victims expose their pubic areas to him during FaceTime sessions that Lewis recorded.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Jackson ‘s Office (“FBI”) was contacted by the Jackson Police Department (“JPD”) for assistance in investigating Joe Lewis and identifying other victims.  JPD’s investigation began when the mother of one of the minors reported to JPD that an older man had being sending her son money via Cash App. The FBI forensically examined Lewis’ electronic devices and found that Lewis had also been sending obscene sexually explicit abuse materials to young boys in and around Jackson. During the course of the investigation the FBI Jackson was able to locate other minor victims.

“Those who hurt and endanger our children by committing these despicable crimes will not be tolerated and will be held accountable”, said Baxter Kruger, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. “This lengthy sentence ensures this defendant can never again hurt and abuse children. My office is committed to working with the FBI, Jackson Police Department, and other state and local law enforcement agencies to help protect children.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Rob Eikhoff said, “Those who prey on minors shatter their innocence. Protecting children and holding vile predators, like Joe Lewis, accountable is one of the FBI’s highest priorities.  FBI Jackson, the United States Attorney’s Office and the Jackson Police Department stand together to protect our children and ensure justice is served for all who seek to harm them.”

This case was brought as part of a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced an Aberdeen, South Dakota man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.  The sentencing took place on December 4, 2025.

Calvin Taylor, 42, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Taylor was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in November 2024.  He pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025.

In February 2024, Taylor began having packages of methamphetamine mailed to various addresses in Aberdeen and the surrounding area from a source of supply in California.  Taylor then sold the drugs to other members of a conspiracy of which he was a member who distributed it in the Aberdeen area.  Approximately 4.5 pounds of distributed methamphetamine was attributed to Taylor at sentencing.

This case was investigated by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, the Aberdeen Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.

Taylor must self-report to the U.S. Marshals Service on or before December 26, 2025. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Oliver Brown Bull, age 37, of Kyle, South Dakota, of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury following a 3-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City.  The verdict was returned on December 4, 2025.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of ten years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

Brown Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025, for two counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.  At the conclusion of a federal jury trial, he was found guilty of assaulting one victim and not guilty of assaulting another victim.

On January 31, 2025, in the Pine Ridge Reservation, Brown Bull assaulted another man by  pushing him to the ground and punching him multiple times in the face.  Brown Bull then kicked the victim in the face.  As a result, the victim suffered several injuries, including a broken eye socket, a laceration around his eye, two broken bones in his nose, and severe bruising.  At the time of trial, the victim was still suffering from the assault, including continued pain and disfigurement.

This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.

This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date will be set.  In the interim, Brown Bull was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Yesterday, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division filed a lawsuit against Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) over MPS’ collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with a teachers’ union which preferences teachers who are members of an “underrepresented population” in employment decisions and prioritizes “Black Men Teach Fellows” for certain employment benefits, terms, and conditions.

“Discrimination is unacceptable in all forms, especially when it comes to hiring decisions,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our public education system in Minnesota and across the country must be a bastion of merit and equal opportunity — not DEI.”

“Employers may not provide more favorable terms and conditions of employment based on an employee’s race and sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will vigorously pursue employers who deny their employees equal opportunities and benefits by classifying and limiting them based on their race, color, national origin, or sex.”

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, notes that MPS seeks to increase their “BIPOC staffing . . . to at least 40% by 2026,” and that by 2026–2027, at least “54.3 %” of new teacher hires “identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).” MPS’ CBA classifies teachers for involuntary reassignment, layoff, and reinstatement depending on whether the teacher is a member of an “underrepresented population.” The United States’ complaint further alleges that MPS awards members of a third-party group organization called “Black Men Teach Fellows” multiple benefits, terms, and conditions of employment not available to female or non-black teachers, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

The complaint asks the court to declare that MPS discriminates against teachers based on their race, color, national origin, and sex, in violation of Title VII, and to enter a permanent injunction against MPS stopping them from implementing similar discriminatory provisions in a future CBA.

This case stems from an investigation launched by the Employment Litigation Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.

You can view the complaint here.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Marcus Bernard Clark, 30, of Destin, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with fraud and related activity in connection with fifteen or more access devices and aggravated identity theft. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.

Clark appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Hope Thai Cannon on December 2, 2025, in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for January 20, 2026, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II in Penscaola, Florida.

If convicted, Clark faces up to ten years imprisonment, with two years as a minimum mandatory sentence.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Canton, South Dakota, man convicted of three counts of Wire Fraud and two counts of Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on December 5, 2025.

Gary Aaron King, 51, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $500 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $1,418,220.87 in restitution.

King was indicted for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on September 5, 2025.

Between July 2022 and January 2023, King, the sole owner of Cypress Risk Management, LLC, collected insurance premiums from client colleges for student athlete insurance coverage and then embezzled the funds for his own personal benefit.  Rather than remitting those premiums to the managing general agents as he was required, King used more than $1,400,000.00 for another business venture and to purchase a luxury home.  When questioned by the managing general agents regarding the payments on the policies the colleges had purchased, King provided false explanations and sent checks to the managing general agents that were returned as insufficient funds.

“Federal investigators are committed to rooting out fraud wherever it exists,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “This sentence, which includes full restitution for the institutions fleeced by this defendant, is another reminder that the bill for committing fraud will eventually come due and be paid with a term of years.”

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.  Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.

King was ordered to self-surrender to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at a future date. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Willie Frank Hicks, 42, of Madison, Florida, has been sentenced to a 10-year term of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, my office has been able to deliver another successful prosecution that will keep this drug dealer off our streets. Meth has a devastating impact on the communities where it proliferates, but drug traffickers’ days are numbered in the Northern District of Florida as my office aggressively pursues prosecutions like these to keep our residents safe and our streets drug-free.”

Court documents reflect that on May 29, 2025, Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputies on patrol conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle occupied by the defendant. During the traffic stop, the defendant attempted to flee the scene on foot and was subsequently apprehended by deputies.  After being detained, the defendant was found in possession of approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine.

“Methamphetamine is the second most common substance found in people who die from a drug poisoning,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “With meth, addiction is all but guaranteed. Our agents will not stop until distributors of this poison have been brought to justice.”

The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and Florida Highway Patrol.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric K Mountin and James McCain.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota man and a Phoenix, Arizona man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.  The sentencings took place for both defendants on December 1, 2025.

Fame Cobbs, 40, of Sioux Falls was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  In addition to the drug and money laundering convictions, Cobbs was also sentenced in a separate case following a conviction for Assault on a Federal Officer.  In the assault case Cobbs was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.  This sentence is to run concurrent with the drug sentence.

Mario Taylor, 34, of Phoenix was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

“Fentanyl traffickers are merchants of death who knowingly flood our communities with substances so lethal that two milligrams—less than a few grains of salt—can kill,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “Each pill they press, each gram they move, is a loaded weapon aimed directly at our children, our neighbors, and our future.”

Cobbs and Taylor were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in December 2023.  Cobbs pleaded guilty on August 29, 2025, and Taylor pleaded guilty on September 8, 2025.  Cobbs was indicted for Assault on a Federal Officer in September 2024 and pleaded guilty on August 29, 2025.

During the conspiracy Mario Taylor was the source of supply in Arizona of thousands of fentanyl pills.  He arranged for packages containing fentanyl to be mailed from Arizona to Fame Cobbs and others in the Sioux Falls area.  Cobbs and his co-conspirators in Sioux Falls then distributed the fentanyl pills in Sioux Falls.  Investigators identified approximately 18 packages through historical records and learned that each package contained approximately 2,000-4,000 fentanyl pills.   Additionally, Cobbs collected money from various individuals to send back to Taylor in Arizona. Cobbs and Taylor utilized the electronic payment system Cash App to move proceeds related to the sale of fentanyl and to promote their drug distribution.  Investigators believe a total of approximately 35,000 fentanyl pills were trafficked during the conspiracy.

Cobbs’ criminal activity did not stop once he was in arrested.  While in federal custody pending resolution of his case, Cobbs engaged in multiple instances of assaultive behavior while confined at the Minnehaha County jail. During one incident, Cobbs flooded his cell and physically struggled with officers.  During the struggle Cobbs kicked one of the officers.

“Today’s federal sentences reflect a simple truth,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “If you traffic fentanyl in South Dakota, you will end up behind bars for a long time.”

These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, and the United States Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Hodges and Meghan Dilges prosecuted the cases.

Cobbs and Taylor were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.  The sentencing took place on December 1, 2025.

Alex Lang, 31, was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Lang was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in April 2025.  He pleaded guilty on September 9, 2025.

Lang worked with others to distribute multiple pounds of methamphetamine in Sioux Falls.  He obtained methamphetamine from a co-conspirator who investigators identified as sourcing the methamphetamine from Arizona through the mail.  Lang then sold methamphetamine to others.  In total, investigators believe that Lang was responsible for selling approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine in the community.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

This case was investigated by United States Postal Investigation Service and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.

Lang was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.